1987 - 1997

Woman on a Beach

foot forward
stepping, pitching, settling
crusty and cool
bare toes sinking- grinding gently
walking the wire, washing waves
rolling, rising and recede
upon the ribbon of earth
elastic and stretched
into the funnel night;
stone like stars, that are stones in fact
hang heavy
gazing through the gases
with Virginia Woolfe eyes...
weight shifting with the pale hips wobble
and pitching pelvis,
juggling with gravity as if drunk,
the knees bend
as if nodding off to sleep
gently awakening again and again...
shoulders sway with wisping wind
in circular patterns reflected in moonlight
white and soft
and smooth;
head bobbing, looking seaward
to where the space folds
into shades of black, water and wind,
unaware.

Halifax, N.S., Canada




Woman Walking Down the Street

Down the street she strolled
one foot in front of that which
was to follow,
lightly clapping the concrete
with worn wooden sole...
she walked her own way-
she walked like most people-
nothing incredibly poetic
about the whole thing,
just a woman walking-
feet, hips and arse,
arms in slight accompaniment.

Halifax, N.S., Canada



Thoughts on a shooting seen shortly after breakfast

snap, crackle, pop-
right crispy
spilling strawberry, spurting
re-surfacing the sidewalk...
sociological serial killing,
collecting box tops,
topping boxes, closed caskets
to be sent away;
more spilled milk
over which to cry
while the sugar-coating is further refined,
set up and sold
to the masses of frosted flakes.
lying soggy, collapsed, gray matter hue,
tattered like shredded wheat-
kitten licks the bowl
soaking in the sink,
washing white the porcelain,
wait until tomorrow's morning meal
but breakfast is good
any time of day!

Halifax, N.S., Canada



WEB

Conversation is simplified in circuit board
Exchanges - lost is the art of eye to eye
Electric ideas re-defined
Reaction reduced to buttons
And the expediency of their compression
A book is a murdered tree
Plastic is the world melted together
Keys on caps locked
Passion expressed only in arguing
Our passion's not lost:
Esc.; we are dead.


Calgary, AB., Canada




Road trip

Kim was from Coombs on the West Coast;
she was blonde and never ate breakfast-
hardly ate at all!
She was from British Columbia
but we had met in the middle,
in Quebec.
I went West wanting her;
planning and plotting,
the adrenaline of lust.
I arrived and became constipated,
off my diet,
in B.C., as I dislike using other people's bog;
I shit once in four days and plugged the pot-
it'll be a week before I'm regular.
Kim fell short of her first impression
on which she to me made...
two days in a car to Calgary and
now no lust remains- I wouldn't
nor couldn't give a shit!!
Driving, 8 hours straight and not once
did we arret for food.
I shit once at the motel where we stopped over
but I'm still bound up.
I'll probably not write her again- it's not
worth the pain in the ass!

Calgary, AB., Canada



Blunders of Bevy
(a limerick you'd expect of an ex-rugger)

Saturday night I was at the pub
eight pints of Guinness in my blood
where at the end of my vacant stare
you said "hullo" and I saw you there;
over mixing words the time did pass
...a first generation Czech/German lass
and that night as we were shaggin'
skoda! I swore you were as solid as a Volkswagon!
Through the moves, rhythm robotic
nothing new yet still somewhat exotic
I lay beside you after I came
trying not to forget your name
perhaps that night might have thrilled me
it may have even killed me.

Calgary, AB., Canada





Chase

Steel strikes stone
and splinters sparks
fading hoof beats
pound through the dark
moonlight scars the
sky with beams
the rider soaked in sweat
close behind the hounds they howl
beckoned to their masters call
pursue the scent not quite in sight
terror in the eyes
the crisp night air
so still and bold
dim lit trails
flash and unfold
the crack of iron,
crop in hand, on
the way he danced
the image evades the chasers eye
cloaked beneath burning starlight's glow
over rolling hills and shrubby moor
turn and run
toward the rooster's crow
a whinny wanders through the night
dancing east the morning light
never to be heard more
under the haunted moon
cape flitters, flutters, fades in gloom
leaving chasers lost, now not as bold
morning mist lost the hounds
leaving masters alone and cold.
Calgary, AB., Canada




Bench

weary grin
face wrinkled with a million
mortal sins, weathered
and worn- water filled eyes
obscure the glimmer
of happiness had...
matted locks stained tawny
bonsai bones hunched wretched
in arthritic pose
watching the children sing and dance,
warped wood creaks, the bench;
epigram to long ago lovers-
across his face he feels
the redemption
of gentle wind.

Calgary, AB., Canada





The Night Together

There's a mess in my flat just like we left it
-messed up-
you stayed from midnight till dawn
but didn't want to stay the night
5am - crimson morning bleeds
as we embrace on the balcony
you still had your Docs on
one more dance before
you go.


Calgary, AB. Canada



Drunk

Ambling awkward, balls
tipped to toes
skipping rope smile
rose ruby nose
unwieldy pirouette
bumbling bow
slag, slurred speech behind
heavy nasal respiration-
with the lamp pole a row
hourglass shape, smooth,
clutched tight, putrescent palm cradles
the brown paper gown
a taste of passion, the paper bag princess,
the fire of youth gurgles
a whirlpool in barren belly,
belching, flatulent, re-kindling
consoling hopelessness
the sour satisfaction of sodden solicitude
and a society all gone to hell.

Calgary, AB., Canada




Six Jars to a Jester

I thought a few pints of bevy
might make me brave
but I bumbled with the black
a right bollickin' knave
to the sum of loinal passions
we're merely sorrowful slaves
the pubs a' booming- smoke filled
spent half of the night propped
on a crack in the wall
the pub-ites, they danced
strobe striking silver ball
contemplating opportunities
now damned duly missed
another hit from the jar
and a fumbling piss
then a walk home
through the cool summer's night
a few bob to a bum,
the lazy lamps light
perhaps on the morrow
I'll give her a call
as I bang, heavy headed
another crack in the wall.

Calgary, AB., Canada